Int'l film festival for children & youth lights up Capital
Organised by the Smile Foundation from January 28 to February 3, the festival brings together stories from across the world that speak directly to young minds and hearts
The Capital turned into a vibrant hub of children’s and youth cinema on Wednesday as the 12th edition of the Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFFCY) opened with a powerful message of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility.
Organised by the Smile Foundation from January 28 to February 3, the festival brings together stories from across the world that speak directly to young minds and hearts.
Held in partnership with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the Delegation of the European Union to India, SIFFCY 2026 is being conducted in a hybrid format. Alongside screenings, workshops, panel discussions and award ceremonies at PHD House in New Delhi, the festival is reaching children nationwide through outreach screenings at more than 100 locations, including schools and community spaces. A secure, geo-blocked virtual platform is also hosting a curated selection of films, ensuring that geography is no barrier to access.
Staying true to its non-profit, non-ticketed and fully accessible ethos, SIFFCY 2026 is showcasing over 150 films from more than 35 countries. The festival opened with Grandpa, Let’s Go!, a Polish–Czech co-production, and features more than 100 films from 20 European Union member states. A special Polish delegation of filmmakers and festival directors is participating with the support of the Polish Institute New Delhi.
This year, the Netherlands is the focus country, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands, while specially curated sections from Germany, Italy, Finland, the Czech Republic and Estonia add to the festival’s global flavour. Films competing in the feature category include acclaimed titles such as Elvis Starling (Slovenia), The Crown Prince and the Return of the Tyrant (Sweden), Stitch Head (Germany–Luxembourg), I Accidentally Wrote a Book (Netherlands–Hungary), Bird of a Different Feather (India) and Dupki (India), among others. Prestigious honours including the ECFA Award, CIFEJ Award and the Film Critics Circle of India (FCCI) Award will be presented.
Setting the tone at the inauguration, Manmeet Kaur Nanda, Additional Secretary, DEPwD, said inclusion must be understood as a matter of rights, not charity. She highlighted how platforms like SIFFCY can help challenge exclusion and create more welcoming cultural spaces for children with disabilities.
Adding an international perspective, Finland’s Ambassador Kimmo Lähdevirta spoke about cinema’s power to bridge cultures and announced the special screening of the beloved Moomins at SIFFCY as part of their 80th anniversary celebrations. Estonian Ambassador Marje Luup described the festival as a vital international platform, noting that Estonia is participating with films made by children, including Ukrainian refugee children living in Estonia.
